Women and breastfeeding part 2

I was a novice too in breastfeeding and got very frustrated and upset every time I heard my baby cried because I thought I had given my best to breastfeed him but no milk came out and he was still hungry. Fortunately for me, I was put in the post maternity hospital for 3 days. Over there I was taught to breastfeed correctly and to put my baby in the correct position to avoid the pain and to let the baby suck the milk instead of the air. I did cry a lot of time and I swore and cursed every time I had to nurse my baby. The midwives were so patient with me. They gave me pain killer and kept on helping me to put my baby in the correct position for nursing. For the whole first month of breastfeeding my baby, I didn’t do it correctly but I didn’t give up. Every time I broke down and got so frustrated, I called the Plunket and talked to them. They are always available for me 24/7. But still, my milk came out so little. I nearly gave up breastfeeding my baby when suddenly I got a phone call from a nice lady saying that she heard about me having baby and know nothing about taking care my baby. So, she agreed to come over to my place, showed me, guided me, and helped me to express my milk correctly and about some other first time-mother survival guides. The help I got from my friends are so great as well. One of good friend has a son and she is such a wonderful friend for ‘teaching’ me ‘motherhood 101’. She taught me by taking me into her house and gave loads of examples and she made sure I understand completely. I really do appreciate her help.

I just want to be like those people that have helped me. I just want to share my experience with these inexperience mothers. I really don’t mean to bug them and teach them as if I am the expert. I have learnt a lot when I breastfed my baby and I wanted to share that knowledge. I just hope they realize and know that her milk supply is always enough for their baby as long as they keep on giving their baby that precious milk to give the best protection for their babies. By giving your baby your breast milk, you have given your baby your love and their first IMMUNISATION. Mother’s milk is the best milk because it is full of love, protection, and is cheap. I wish all women knew about this. If you don't know, let me help you.

Women and breastfeeding part 1

What is going on nowadays with women and breastfeeding? About 4 out of 5 women I know do not breast-feed their babies and around me looks like there are more and more women don’t breast-feed their babies. My hands are itchy to bring up this subject on my blog because I really believe the importance of breastfeeding for the babies.

Although the survey that has been made by United Nation, there are 15% more women breast-feed their babies globally, I still think that modern women nowadays a little bit reluctant of breastfeeding their babies. I heard many reasons given by those women. But most of them said that their breasts produce very little milk so it is not enough for the babies and they just choose to give formula instead and let their breasts stop producing milk completely. These women, at least the ones I know, complain that their breasts are so painful every time they nurse their babies and because of this painful feeling, they’d rather stop nursing. They just can’t cope with this pain because they are already very tired; lack of sleep, the headache, the body ache and the never-stop-sound of their crying babies. To make it worse, they are still in the baby blues mode. So, they just don’t have spare energy to learn to express their breast milk correctly and to cope with the pain not only on the breasts but also on their stomach (because the womb contracts to its original size before these women were pregnant).

I really really feel sorry for these women. I really really want to help them but unfortunately I am not a doctor, not a midwife, and not even old enough for them to listen to me. All I can do just giving them my advice but they keep on telling me that they’d rather give up breastfeeding their babies because there is not enough milk coming out from their breasts and they just think I am such a busy body person.

Gosh, if only I could scream at their ears “I AM NOT BUSY BODY! I JUST WANT TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE TO GIVE THE BEST FOR YOUR BABY.”
I am a mother too and I breastfed my baby exclusively for 15 months. When I had my baby it was my first time. I was all alone; husband not around, parents and parents in law not around, no family around, and I was living in a country that is not my home country. If you care, you can read my story from my previous post “Confession of a mother on mother’s day”. So I definitely know how they feel.

The happiest moment in my life

I went to Singapore 2 weeks ago to attend my good friend’s wedding. It was the best wedding I have ever attended. It was quite relax and everyone had so much fun. The food was delicious. The bride and the groom are very friendly and kept on moving around to greet all the guesses. This is quite unusual in a wedding celebration. Usually, the bride and the groom will have to sit in front on the stage ready to shake hands to hundreds of guesses that attended the wedding until their hands are numb and they also have to pass on all the delicious food so that their wedding dress won’t get dirty. They also have to change their wedding costume to a different wedding dress or something like that. But at that time, there was nothing like the usual. The bride, who is my good friend, was busy going around from 1 table to another to have a little chat with her guesses. She looked so gorgeous and so thin. She did make me jealous to see my own shape. I definitely looked enormous every time I stood next to her. Oh well, this is the body of a woman that has given birth..he..he..he..(I try to make myself happy).

To me, the most wonderful time of that wedding was not about the food, or the environment, but it was about meeting my beloved friends. I have lost touch with them for more than 6 years since I left the company I have worked for nearly 3 years. The bond I have with them is not just an ordinary friendship kind of relationship but is more like a brother-sister kind of relationship. It was like a small reunion. Unfortunately, not all of them were there. I was the only one carrying full set of team consisting of my hubby, my son, and even my maid. I wanted to introduce my son and my hubby to them all because this was the first time they finally got a chance to meet my hubby and my son.

I really did have a great time talking and catching up stories with my beloved friends. Oh not only with my friends because my ex-supervisor was there too. Mostly all my friends were making fun at me for having a degree but staying at home 24/7. I didn’t mind them making fun of me. I miss them all. I like them teasing me just like the old times. I am glad they never see me differently as I am now fat, ugly, and huge compared to them all. I had never been so happy like that for ages. I was definitely very very happy. I was in heaven for 2 hours. Nothing can make me that happy before. I really appreciate my good friend and her husband for sharing the happiest moment with me and my family. Thanks a million, G! I wish I had more moments like that. Whatever! It’s just a wish and it will always be a wish only and nothing but a wish.